


This Is Fine

by Katiebug586



Category: Fillmore!
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I could've named this 'A Robin No Longer' or something but it's meme time yall, I wrote this JUST so I could make this cheap joke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26226883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katiebug586/pseuds/Katiebug586
Summary: Malika is okay with the events that are unfolding currently.Her long-lost love is not, however, and is concerned for her sake and well being.
Relationships: Malika/Horatio Vallejo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	This Is Fine

Fire rampaged throughout the abandoned warehouse, threatening to consume everything in its path. Flames flickered and crackled as they licked the air, setting the old floors and walls alight with the rage of a burning sun, one that is soon to set and fall into oblivion. There won’t be even a trace of evidence to remember the tragedy that had befallen not even hours before, the blazing sparks made sure of that, destroying everything foolish enough to linger around or be forgotten.

However, this warehouse was not as abandoned as one would hope it would be at such a time. A young brunette stood in the center of such dangerous art, inspecting the growing miasmatic smoke and conflagration with utter apathy before letting out a shout of frustration, tearing off the beret and sash she wore as part of her uniform, throwing them down into the inferno.

A small smirk grew on her face as she watched the tacky ensemble get engulfed by the feasting firestorm. But why burn such clothing? Aren’t uniforms expensive?  _ Maybe _ it was because she didn’t want to associate with those kinds of people anymore, they surely didn’t want to associate with  _ her,  _ not even when she needed their support most.

A coup d'etat, they called it. A forcible takeover of leadership from one’s own most trustworthy ‘friends’ and supporters. The event that had hung her high and dry only had happened merely a few hours beforehand, but she knew it was a long time coming.

All it took was for one like-minded person to expose her fatal flaws and weaknesses to have it all crash down on her, ever so slowly. It wasn’t like she wanted to go after this person for revenge, however, though she did ponder it every once in a while. In retrospect, she probably had this coming the day she quit, no,  _ abandoned _ , her old position and became a member of the ‘Betrayal Squad’. That person was just serving a nice-helping of long-overdue justice on a silver platter.

After that little ‘embarrassment’, she started to lose control of her squad. They started to become more rebellious, going deliberately against her orders, and all-around just acting cocky and ridiculous. But it wasn’t like she could fire  _ all _ of them, getting new recruits wasn’t a walk in the park, after all.

So she just ignored it, let them have their fun, let them see what it’s like to be on top, disregarding  _ everyone _ and their rules. It’s what their gang was known for, right? Breaking the rules and not giving a hoot on who got hurt.

Little did she know that  _ she _ also counted as someone they wouldn’t care about getting hurt.

The climax of everything, however, came when they decided to strike a deal with another shady gang in the district. It was simply a deal that would significantly boost their taffy sales and in turn, they would help the other gang with their own ‘problems’.

But ultimately, it was all doomed to failure. Not the operation, well, that was doomed from the start too, but her own status and reputation as well. It was pretty embarrassing as well, considering her downfall happened in that very same burning warehouse, surrounded by everyone. But at that time, the warehouse wasn’t exactly burning to the ground.

She only had to point out one flaw in their little ‘plan’ for everyone to start attacking, her own ‘friends’ stating to her how ‘What would  _ you  _ know about planning and starting dangerous heists? Remember that  _ Ingrid _ girl?’ and ‘We could  _ totally _ do better than you when it comes to being a leader! Why did we make you the leader, to begin with?’.

Just like that, they had insulted and disowned the girl, stating to both her and the other gang that ‘We’re going to do  _ better _ than that wannabe leader’. But before she could make her dues and leave, probably to go mope and reflect on what had just transpired, the Safety Patrol, or better yet, the ‘Fun Police’, raided the area, trying to ‘apprehend two birds with one handcuff’.

An all-out battle for dominance and control of the warehouse ensued. Like a corrupt game of capture the flag, with  _ way _ more stakes involved. In the end,  _ some _ idiot, she didn’t know who, decided it would be a ‘good idea’ to burn the place down and soon, the entire warehouse was set ablaze, causing everyone to panic and flee, well, everyone  _ except _ for her, because honestly, she couldn’t care.

She’d probably leave before it got  _ too _ bad, but for right now, she was relatively okay with the events that were unfolding currently.

“Malika?” a voice sounded, causing her to turn her head in confusion. It was a sickeningly familiar voice, one she would know from anywhere.

“V-Vallejo? What are  _ you _ doing here?”

The boy in question finally moved into her line of sight and she realized how long it had been since she had seen him. He still wore the same clothes he did back in seventh grade but did he always have that kind of haircut?  _ Wow,  _ how long had it actually been? She knew he was the current Junior Commissioner, but that was it.

“I could ask you the same question. I don’t know if  _ you _ know, but this  _ entire _ building is on fire!” Well, Vallejo still had his sense of humor, that was… that was one of the things she guessed she liked about him back when they were still partners. “Come on, why are you just standing there?!”

“Why do you want to save me so bad?!” she snapped, causing him to back off a little, “Is it so you can apprehend me again and say ‘I saved this criminal’s life and  _ then _ took care of ‘em!’, acting like you’re some kind of hero? Well, guess what? I don’t care, do it. The Red Robins don’t need me anymore, they never did.”

Vallejo stopped for a second, looking almost sympathetic? That couldn’t be right, why waste sympathy on someone like her, especially after that said someone has double-crossed you and stabbed you right in the back?

“Malika, that’s  _ not _ why I’m here… I don’t want to be the rule-following hero right now, alright? I just want to make sure you’re safe! I know your buddies might not care about you anymore, but I still do!”

What?

_ “You’re lying. _ Nobody and I mean  _ nobody _ cares about me,”

“Then I guess I’m a nobody.”

She growled, trying her hardest not to break down and cry from such sheer exhaustion and emotion.  _ Why _ did he still care? What was so  _ special _ about her that made the boy keep coming back for more? It didn’t make sense, none of it did. “You… just go. Save yourself, you’ve still got friends and people who care about you, don’t waste yourself away for someone like me.”

The smoke was starting to get heavier and thicker and she let out a dry cough as she finished, trying her hardest not to pass out, but she knew Vallejo wouldn’t leave until she was safe, even if that meant… no, she had to at least have  _ him _ safe. But did she  _ really  _ want to go with him? Time was running out, both of them knew that much. Still, he really did sound like he cared, especially if he came all the way into this living hell just to fish her out.

“Listen, I’ve always cared about you, even when you left to be with those… people. You made a really  _ bad _ choice, but I could never bring myself to hate you for it. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but at the very least, I just want you out of  _ here _ .

She looked at him, relaxing slightly. Like Vallejo, she didn’t know what would happen next, but at the very least, she had  _ someone _ on her side,  _ someone _ that actually  _ cared _ about her, despite everything that had happened previously.

So she took a step, ready to leave both this hellish inferno and her own criminal past behind her.


End file.
